


A Betting Man

by onereyofstarlight



Series: IRRelief 2020 Prompts [1]
Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Bets & Wagers, Family, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:48:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24143092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onereyofstarlight/pseuds/onereyofstarlight
Summary: Gordon places a bet and John rises to the challenge.
Series: IRRelief 2020 Prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1742284
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	A Betting Man

**Author's Note:**

> Written to fulfil a prompt for [@halorocks1214](halorocks1214.tumblr.com) for the IRRelief Challenge organised by @Gumnut. The prompt was "John + Beard". You can see where this is headed :D

“I don’t like it,” said Scott with a scowl. “You sure you can’t get it fixed?”

“Positive,” said John, firmly. “I’ve been running diagnostics for the last eight hours, it should be working.”

“Maybe Brains could–“

“No!”

Scott blinked at the sudden interruption.

“John, it’s no trouble. If you can’t fix it, then he should really have a look at it.”

“No, it’s fine really.”

Scott looked over at Virgil in bewilderment. Without the image, it was hard to tell if John was covering up something or not. The holoprojector and his fidgeting would have betrayed a lie instantly, but without it they couldn’t be sure.

Virgil shook his head imperceptibly and Scott nodded in agreement. Not having visual contact with John for the rest of his rotation was annoying, but hardly life threatening. If they waited, John would likely figure out the problem when left to it and they could send up whatever parts he needed on the next run of supplies.

“I can still see you both,” came John’s frosty, disembodied voice. “It’s only one way.”

Virgil laughed loudly.

“Alright John,” he said with a grin. “We’ll follow your lead.”

A breath of a sigh carried through on the radio waves. “Thank you.”

“Nothing else to report?” asked Scott, stretching out his shoulders as he leant back against the couch.

“Nothing that needs our attention.” The familiar distracted quality returned to his voice. “A landslide in Paraguay. Fischler has a construction project I’m keeping an eye on.

“Good idea,” muttered Virgil under his breath.

“Well then, we’ll leave you to it,” said Scott.

“FAB, Scott,” said John automatically. “Thunderbird Five out.”

***

“And they bought that?” Gordon snorted as he flopped onto his bed. “That’s the dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard.”

“Well, we can’t all be master liars,” said John. He scrubbed at his jaw. “I didn’t think this would be so itchy though.”

“I told you Johnny,” said Gordon in a sing song voice. “Harder than it looks. You sure that liquorice is worth it?”

John pulled his hands away from his face with a scowl.

“I should never have agreed to this,” he grumbled. “Virgil would have just added it to the supplies list if I’d asked.”

“Ah, but I actually have it already,” said Gordon with a triumphant grin. “Right here.”

He dangled the parcel in front of the holoprojector so that his brother could see exactly what he was playing for.

“I’m more interested in your forfeit when I win,” said John, his eyes tracking the prize. “What do you reckon – dye your hair red or tell Penny how you really feel?”

Gordon laughed.

“You’re not going to win,” he said confidently. “I know you, you hate it. That prickling feeling, it’s only gonna get worse for the next few weeks. Just look at you!”

John pulled his hand away from his face again, glaring.

“I’ll be fine. I looked it up and it’s normal and it’ll pass. And when it does, it’s over for you.”

“It’ll be worth the forfeit to see you if you make it. Just imagine Scott’s face when you get out of the elevator.”

John gave him a reluctant smile.

“That’s true. You’ll have to film it for me.”

“That’s a promise John.”

***

Ten weeks on and three weeks off was the rotation they’d agreed on right at the start, but Scott still didn’t like it. He didn’t like that his brother was isolated in space, he didn’t like the long hours he worked, and he didn’t like that it was hard to tell if John remembered to eat and sleep regularly.

He especially didn’t like that this rotation, he’d not once gotten a good look at his brother. John had never gotten around to fixing the visual scanners in the end. There had always been an emergency getting in the way and so this was Scott’s first chance in months to assess his condition.

He paused in his pacing, looking up with everyone else as the faint roar of the elevator stabilisers filled the air.

Alan was bouncing beside him, already geared up and impatient to get up to Thunderbird Five for the next three weeks.

Virgil and Grandma Tracy stood together, chatting amiably as they waited, their conversation getting louder and louder as the elevator descended.

Gordon had his phone out. Scott narrowed his eyes at him, but Gordon only grinned in response. Scott resolved to slip upstairs and check John’s room for any traps that had been laid in preparation for his homecoming. He could double check his own room at the same time. Around Gordon, it never hurt to be cautious.

The elevator doors opened.

Scott blinked.

Virgil and Grandma Tracy’s conversation died as they stared.

John stood in front of them, his eyes flitting between each member of the family. His arms began to uncross as he relaxed, the beard on his face twitching slightly as he smiled.

Scott blinked again, a smile curving on his lips.

His _beard_.

“John?”

Alan’s voice broke through the confused silence, and they all rushed at their brother in excitement. John’s eyes widened and he took a step back.

“When did you decide to grow this?”

“You look so much _older_.”

“What’s it feel like?”

“Hang on,” said Scott. “Is this why the visual scanners have been ‘mysteriously broken’ for the last ten weeks?”

“Uh, yes?” said John.

“It looks good John,” said Grandma Tracy, reaching up and patting his cheek softly. “Your Grandpa used to have one just like it, I remember.”

“Thanks Grandma.”

He glanced over at Gordon who, Scott realised, had been filming everything. It took only three long strides before John was looking down at Gordon, an odd grin on his face.

“Time to pay up, Gordon.”

Gordon laughed and tossed him a parcel sitting next to him on the bench.

“I did _not_ think you’d make it,” he said, cheerfully. “Thought it’d be over by the third week.”

“You put RJs on the line,” said John, his eyes glinting as he checked over his prize. The beard hid the half smile they were used to seeing, but there was no mistaking the mischief on his face as he opened his mouth again. “Besides, I’m looking forward to this forfeit.”

Gordon paled.

“You’re not gonna make me…”

“Oh yes,” said John. “Virgil, can you add red hair dye to the next supply run?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!
> 
> Cross posted from Tumblr, original posted on 29/03/2020
> 
> Also lol I wrote this five days into lockdown before all the confectionery aisles were restocked so I was CRAVING RJs liquorice by then... took several weeks before they came back into stock, 'twas a sad sad time for me.


End file.
